Piracicaba Broccoli with Crispy Lemon Crumbs
This recipe courtesy of Gail Simmons adds crunchy, lemon-tinged bread crumbs for a show-stopping finish.
Ingredients:
1 large bunch Piracicaba broccoli, ends trimmed
2 slices of white bread, torn
1 small shallot, very finely chopped
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 ½ teaspoons crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
Sea salt
Lemon wedges (optional)
Prep Ahead: The lemon crumbs can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Method:
1. In a food processor, pulse the white bread until large crumbs form. In a large skillet, melt the butter. Add the bread crumbs and cook them over moderate heat, stirring constantly, until golden. Remove from the heat. Stir in the crushed red pepper and lemon zest and season with salt. Transfer the crumbs to a plate to cool. Wipe out the skillet.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the broccolini and cook until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Drain well, shaking off the excess water; pat dry.
3. In the large skillet, heat the olive oil until shimmering. Add the shallot and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until lightly browned, about 1 minute. Add the broccolini, season lightly with salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the broccolini is lightly browned in spots, about 4 minutes.
4. Transfer the broccolini to a serving platter and sprinkle the lemony bread crumbs on top. Serve right away with lemon wedges.
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Sprouting Broccoli with Lemon Vinaigrette
This light and fresh side is accented by tart lemon juice and fresh-cracked pepper.
Ingredients:
1 pound sprouting broccoli
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon lemon juice
¼ teaspoon sea salt
Pinch of fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Wash and trim the broccoli and steam for 5 minutes, until it is crisp yet tender. Drain.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, zest, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Drizzle the dressing over the broccoli and toss to coat.
Variations: This crisp side is also wonderful topped with chopped hazelnuts, or a pinch of crushed red pepper in lieu of black pepper.
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Lemon Broccolini
This light and fresh side is accented by tart lemon juice and fresh-cracked pepper.
Ingredients:
1 bunch broccolini
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon lemon juice
¼ teaspoon sea salt
Pinch of fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Wash and trim the broccolini and steam for 5 minutes, until it is crisp yet tender. Drain.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, zest, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Drizzle the dressing over the broccolini and toss to coat.
Variations: This crisp side is also wonderful topped with chopped hazelnuts, or a pinch of crushed red pepper in lieu of black pepper.
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Roasted Broccoli with Fried Duck Eggs
This easy sheet pan dish is topped with bright lemon juice.
Ingredients:
1½ pounds Piracicaba sprouting broccoli, trimmed of tough ends and cut into florets
4 duck eggs
Juice of ½ lemon
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Put the oven rack in the center of the oven, about 5 inches below the heat source, and preheat the broiler.
2. Film the bottom of a large sauté pan with olive oil. Place the broccoli in the pan and season generously with salt and pepper, tossing to coat the broccoli in oil. Spread out evenly and pop the pan in the oven under the broiler, cooking about 3-5 minutes or until the broccoli just starts to brown.
3. Being careful not to touch the pan’s handle, use the spatula to push the asparagus to the edges of the pan, leaving the center empty. Carefully break the eggs into that space. Broil 1 more minute, until egg whites are set. Remove the pan from the oven.
4. Squeeze the lemon juice over everything in the pan and give the pan another sprinkle of salt. To serve, top a generous helping of broccoli with a duck egg and serve with a side of toasted bread to sop up the excess yolk.
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Preserved Meyer Lemons
Toss these preserved beauties with roasted fingerling potatoes, or whisk the pulp into a salad dressing or a Bloody Mary.
Ingredients:
6 Meyer lemons
⅓ cup kosher salt
⅔ cup fresh lemon juice
Method:
1. Scrub lemons and dry well. Quarter lemons lengthwise.
2. Toss the lemon wedges with the salt in a bowl and transfer to a sterile 4-cup glass jar. Use a wooden spoon to press the lemons to fit. Add lemon juice and any remaining salt that might be left in the bowl. Seal jar tightly and shake to combine. Let stand at room temperature for 3 days, shaking jar each day. Transfer to the refrigerator for 3 weeks or until rinds are soft. Rinse before using.
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Meyer Lemon Bars
Finish off your Easter feast with these bright bars!
Ingredients:
For the crust:
1 cup butter, softened
½ cup powdered sugar
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
For the filling:
5 eggs
1½ cups sugar
¾ cup Meyer lemon juice (from about 4-5 lemons)
2 tablespoons Meyer lemon zest (from about 4-5 lemons)
Pinch kosher salt
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ cup all-purpose flour
Method:
1. Liberally grease a 9×13 inch baking pan with a little bit of the softened butter. Preheat the oven to 350°.
2. To prepare the crust: In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer, mix the softened butter, powdered sugar and kosher salt on high until well combined. Add the flour and mix on low speed until the dough begins to just stick together and clump up. Press the dough mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking pan with your hands. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until just starting to brown.
3. Meanwhile, make the topping: In the same mixing bowl, mix together the 5 eggs, sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, a pinch of kosher salt and baking powder on medium-high speed until well combined and pale in color. Add the flour and mix until smooth.
4. After the crust has baked, remove from the oven and turn the temperature down to 325°. After the crust has cooled in the pan slightly, pour the topping in and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until set. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for at least 20 minutes. Cut into squares and top with powdered sugar, berries, lemon zest, and/or mint leaves, if desired.
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Sautéed Broccoli Raab
A variety of broccoli with long, thin leafy stalks, this hearty Italian green (also known as rapini) shines in an easy preparation from Gourmet magazine.
Ingredients:
2 pounds broccoli raab
3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
⅓ cup olive oil
1 teaspoon sea salt
Lemon wedges
Method:
1. Cut off and discard stem ends from the broccoli raab.
2. Cook the broccoli raab, uncovered, in 2 batches in a 6-8 quart pot of boiling salted water until just tender, about 3 minutes, transferring with a slotted spoon to a large bowl of ice and cold water to stop cooking. Drain well in a colander. (The broccoli raab can be boiled and drained up 6 hours ahead, then covered and chilled. Bring to room temperature before proceeding.)
3. Cook garlic in oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until garlic is golden, about 5 minutes.
4. Add broccoli raab and cook, tossing to coat with oil, until heated through, 3 to 5 minutes. Toss broccoli raab with salt.
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Preserved Lemon Vinaigrette
Fantastic drizzled over salad greens or this week’s rainbow Swiss chard.
Ingredients:
Lemon rind of one preserved lemon
2 cloves garlic, grated
⅓ cup lemon juice
1 tablespoon honey
¼ cup white balsamic vinegar
1 cup high-quality extra-virgin olive oil
Fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Remove one preserved lemon from the jar and rinse it under the cold water tap. Pat dry with a paper towel.
2. Place the lemon on a cutting board and cut it into quarters. With a teaspoon scrape the flesh from each section of the lemon. (Return the scraped flesh to the jar of lemons for future use.) Cut the lemon rind into smaller pieces and place in the blender/processor.
3. Add the grated garlic, lemon juice, honey and the white balsamic vinegar. Process for 1 minute. Drizzle the oil into the processor and blend the mixture for another 1-2 minutes, until smooth and creamy.
4. Taste and season with a pinch of pepper. Transfer the vinaigrette to a glass jar or bottle with a lid and refrigerate until needed
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Grilled Cauliflower Steaks with Honey & Meyer Lemon
Break out the barbecue for these flavorful cauliflower “steaks”!
Ingredients:
2 large heads cauliflower
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 Meyer lemons, zested and juiced
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 teaspoon honey
2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
¼ cup chopped toasted walnuts
Lemon wedges, for serving
Method:
1. Remove the outer leaves from each cauliflower head, then cut off the bottom stem end so that you create a flat base and can stand the cauliflower up on a cutting board. Resting the cauliflower on the stem, use a large, sharp knife to trim away the sides, then cut the remaining head into 2 very thick or 3 more moderate “steaks.”. In a small bowl, stir together the lemon zest and lemon juice, garlic, and honey.
2. Heat a grill to medium (about 350°). Brush one side of each cauliflower steak with the lemon–olive oil mixture and then sprinkle the brushed sides with half of the salt. Place the salted side down on the hot grill, then brush the tops of the steaks with the olive oil mixture and season with the remaining salt.
3. Cover the grill and let cook for 5 to 6 minutes, until the bottom is beginning to char. Flip the cauliflower, then re-cover the grill and cook 5 additional minutes, until the cauliflower is tender. Remove from the grill. Sprinkle with the red pepper flakes, parsley, and walnuts. Serve hot with lemon wedges.
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Fennel & Lemon Relish
This crisp slaw from Alice Waters’ The Art of Simple Food II is excellent tossed with roasted vegetables, or even served as part of a charcuterie board.
Ingredients:
2 lemons
2-3 fennel bulbs
1 shallot
2-3 tablespoons Champagne vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
- Using a box grater or rasp, zest both lemons, then reserve the zest and fruit.
- Peel and finely dice the shallot. Place shallot in a small bowl with the lemon zest, juice of 1 lemon, Champagne vinegar, salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Mix well and let sit for a few minutes to macerate. Whisk in the extra-virgin olive oil. Taste for salt and acid and adjust as needed.
- Trim the fronds and dark green stalks from the fennel bulb. Cut the bulb in half lengthwise and then into a fine dice. Toss with salt to taste and stir into the lemon-shallot mixture. Remove all the remaining peel from the remaining lemon and cut the segments from their membranes. Cut segments into a medium dice and gently stir them into the relish. Let relish sit for 5 minutes before serving.
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